What is Melatonin?

What is MelatoninMelatonin is a hormone made by the pineal gland. This tiny gland is found in the brain. Natural melatonin will help your body’s internal clock control your natural cycle of sleeping and waking hours. It regulates the circadian rhythm and the deep stages of sleep we get.

The amount of light we’re in affects how much melatonin our body produces. Melatonin levels start to rise in the mid-to-late evening, remain high during the night, and then levels drop off in the early morning hours. During the shorter days of winter, your body will produce melatonin either earlier or later in the day than normal. This change may lead to symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), or winter depression.p stages of sleep. Melatonin also helps maintains the body’s balance, equilibrium, and homeostasis.

Melatonin can be found in foods such as meats, grains, fruits, and vegetables, but only in very small amounts and natural melatonin levels will slowly drop with age. Older adults can find that supplementing this hormone is very beneficial to their health. These are the benefits and some symptoms you may experience if your body does not produce enough of this hormone…

Benefits of melatonin include:

  • Powerful antioxidant properties
  • Fights cancer
  • Boosts immune function
  • Scavenges free radicals
  • Promotes youthful sleep patterns
  • Influences stage IV & REM sleep
  • Prevents jet lag
  • Regulates mood
  • Is an energizer
  • Increases natural killer cells and CD-4 cells

DEFICIENCY CAUSES:

  • Poor Sleep
  • Jet Lag
  • Irritability
  • Hypersensitivity
  • Premature Aging
  • Nocturia (excessive nighttime urination)

In most adults, melatonin is taken in doses from 0.2 to 20.0 mg, based on why it is being used. The right dose will vary from one person to another, so it is important to consult a doctor to learn what the right dosage is for you.